kick start my brain: Ideas for a special tea at church
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| Interesting - I love teas! In your case, what's the definition of a "tea"? I always think of a "cream tea", with the finger sandwiches and scones, but it sounds like you want something different. Is it a buffet or served? How many people? I have some great recipes for Cajun dishes (jambalaya, etouffee) that are easy to make in large batches and can be served warm. And you can serve them in honor of the Katrina victims. |
| This is a "Silver Tea" meaning to be a bit fancier than the usual after services snickety snacks. Buffet. Since time of day is 11:15 and most folks haven't eaten before church due to communion, brunch type food is great.
Being Greeks in New Mexico, Cajun might work. I could even put a little sign above with food name and "In honor of New Orleans hurricane victims" to increase donations. The kicker is I'm not making it at the church kitchen. All will have to be brought from home and perhaps kept hot (I'm not sure about reheating). |
| I don know if a penne pasta is appropriate...but I just made a seafood one with scallops, shrimp and calamari..a jar of basil pesto and some lemon zest...sprinkle top with fresh parm....you could use chicken instead of seafood...it should be easy to make pasta night before and then throw the rest of it together.....one idea.....and if i do say so myself..it was light and fresh tasting....the lemon zest made the dish... |
| Do you have to make it?
They have some really good pre-made stuffed grape leaves that you can buy in many grocery store deli sections... (Mmmm, love grape leaves with yogurt-cucumber dipping sauce!) What about hummus and pita? Spanikopita (sp??)? The good thing about the grape leaves and the hummus is that they don't need to be hot... What about a giant Muffeletta sandwich? Those can feed a million people, and don't need to be hot, and would work for a new orleans inspired meal... Recipe: 1 large round sourdough bread loaf 3/4 to 1 cup Creole Olive Salad, recipe follows 4 ounces mortadella, thinly sliced 4 ounces cappocolo, culatello, or other cured Italian ham, thinly sliced 4 ounces mozzarella, thinly sliced 4 ounces provolone, or Fontina, thinly sliced Pickled pepperoncini, garnish Slice the bread in half horizontally, and remove enough of the doughy insides to make room for the fillings. Spread about 1/4 cup of the olive salad and its oil on the bottom and top pieces of bread, spreading to saturate the bread with oil. Alternately layer the bottom bread with the meat, cheese, and remaining olive salad to taste. Cut into quarters and wrap tightly in butcher's paper or plastic wrap. Let sit for 30 minutes for the flavors to marry and the oil to soak into the bread. Unwrap and place on a large serving plate with the pepperoncini. Serve. Creole Olive Salad: 1/2 cup pitted brine-cured black olives, such as Nicoise, sliced 1/2 cup large (queen) pimiento-stuffed olives, sliced 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon minced shallots 1 tablespoon finely chopped celery 1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 teaspoon minced garlic 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Combine all the ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and mix well. |
| Barney1, that sounds great! I love muffelettas but could always buy the Olive Salad when I lived in Chicago. Good to have a recipe.
For keeping stuff warm, like Darcy's pasta dish or the jambalaya, I have the wire racks and aluminum pans where you fill the bottom one with water and keep it hot with the can of sterno. I bought a set of 3 from a discount party store years ago and use them all the time. If you bring the dishes warm-ish from home and use the sternos, everything will heat up in no time. Jambalaya 1 pound smoked sausage*, sliced 1 large onion, chopped 1/2 bell pepper, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 pound chicken, cooked and cut up 1/2 teaspoon each: salt, pepper, thyme, Worcestershire, spy sauce 1/8 teaspoon red pepper (or more for spicier) 2 1/2 cups water 1 cup uncooked rice 1 chicken bouillon cube First cook the chicken and chop into bite size pieces. Set aside. Brown the sausage in a large pot with a tight fitting lid. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic and chicken, stir. Add spices. Stir until all the vegetables are softened. Add water, rice and bouillon. Bring to a boil and stir well. Cover and cook over low heat 30 minutes. * When I can find it, I use Andouille sausage which is more authentic and makes a spicier dish. You can also add shrimp. |
| sigh..I wish brian liked jambalaya...he hates rice....sue (hint hint) will you make it for me........please????? |
| While surfing and looking for Mediterranean recipes
found this neat site--- www.eatgreektonight.com Good entree, soup and dessert recipes..... Good luck with your tea!!! |
| yum, yum.
I had the dates wrong, it is this weekend 
No way would I serve spanikopita, et al to this group. The little old ladies would tear it apart and criticize. Plus many families own restaurants...I'll let them make it for the masses........and they do. Muffeletta is a great idea and I will look for mortadella and cappacola tomorrow, but I'm doubting I'll find it. So may have to rethink that. Thanks for posting EatGreekTonight site. It will be quick to scroll for "what's for dinner." We are still baking cookies for the festival end of month. I sat down and figured we need to charge at least 85 cents a piece just to clear the expenses! Price of butter is outrageous. Love recipes that begin: take 40 lbs butter, 120 eggs, 10 lbs walnuts, quart of honey, etc. What will I end up making? Looking more and more like I'll make some dip put it in middle of giant tray and do a vegetable arrangement around it if my garden is still producing and I really want to blanch multiple dozen green beans, etc. I also have about 3 lbs. of left over walnuts/sesame seeds, sugar and cinnamon left over from melomakarona cookies so trying to think of something unusual to do with it. Thinking non-greek.......maybe several apple strudel as we are up to our pits in apples (no pun intended) and I can handle filo dough easily. Throw some Grand Marnier over all and it could be good. Thanks all for your help. Oh, no, I won't make the garlic dip, skordalia Family reunion did that once and we went around blowing garlic breath on each other. Great fun. |
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